What are the characteristics of Shaanxi Opera?

Shaanxi opera is also called random play. Luantan originated from western Shaanxi Opera and Bangzi originated from old Shaanxi Opera (East Road Shaanxi Opera, Tongzhou Bangzi), which is a very old traditional opera. Mainly popular in Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang and other places in northwest China. Because it uses jujube bangzi as a percussion instrument, it is also called "bangzi tune", commonly known as "bangzi" (because it makes a "dreamy" sound when clapping). The legend of "Lotus in a Bowl" by an anonymous person in the late Ming Dynasty is known because it uses the qupai of "Two Criminals in Western Shaanxi Opera". Baoji, Shaanxi and Tianshui, Gansu are the locations of ancient Western Qin. According to historical research, the Western Qin Opera originated in Tianshui, Gansu Province, and was brought to Chang 'an by merchants, which made it grow and develop. When Kangxi was in the Qing Dynasty, Justin Cheung, a native of Jingyang, Shaanxi Province, looked forward to writing On Shaanxi Opera, which showed that Shaanxi Opera had developed to a mature stage. During the Qianlong period, Wei Changsheng went to Beijing to perform Shaanxi Opera, which caused a sensation in Beijing. It has a direct influence on the formation of Bangzi acoustic cavity in various places.

Because of its different popular areas, Shaanxi Opera has evolved into different schools: Donglu Shaanxi Opera (also known as Tongzhou Tiezi, also known as Old Shaanxi Opera and Donglu Bangzi) is popular in Dali and Pucheng in Weinan area in the east of Guanzhong; Popular in Fengxiang, Qishan, Longxian and Tianshui areas in the west of Guanzhong, it is called West Road Qinqiang (also known as Xifu Qinqiang and West Road Bangzi); Popular in Yangxian, Chenggu, Hanzhong and Mianxian in Hanzhong area (actually Lu Nan Shaanxi Opera, also known as Diao Han Shaanxi Opera and Xunxi); Popular in Xi 'an, it's called Zhonglu Qinqiang (that is, Xi 'an's random play).

Among them, the west road became a bangzi after entering Sichuan; East Road is Shanxi Opera, Henan Opera and Hebei Opera. Therefore, Shaanxi Opera can be regarded as the originator of Beijing Opera, Henan Opera, Shanxi Opera and Hebei Opera. Influenced by local dialects and folk music, each Shaanxi opera is slightly different in pronunciation, aria and music. In the past 50 years, the development of the eastern, western and southern Shaanxi operas tends to stagnate and tends to be replaced by the central Shaanxi opera.